Drums of War
by Sakaro Devanti Foresta
Summary: Rewritten and revised. In order for one thing to begin, another must end. Ursa Barbic led her clan to Ursalia in hopes of undoing the wrongs done, unaware that this will lead to an journey that she is altogether unprepared for.
1. Prologue: A Leader's Guilt

DRUMS OF WAR

 **Prologue**

 _A Leader's Guilt_

* * *

 _A month after the fall of Barbic Woods_

The Barbic leader averted her thoughts from the task at hand, opting to gaze across to the cubs sleeping a few feet away. Her ten year old son, Buddi. He was the only cub left in the clan. He was curled up as near to the fire as possible, since it was so cold in these mountains. Ursa had a reason for heading south, at least. Regardless of what Averi may have wanted, she _knew_ she couldn't simply leave things be. How could she leave the homeland to fall at the hands of her enemies? She couldn't just forget and pretend that…that…

It was late. Another hour and it'll be dawn. Ursa turned to gaze into the fading embers of what was once a campfire. Buddi had refused to come near the fire in the first days, and Ursa couldn't blame him in the least. She knew what he saw: the very thing that took home away from them. Regardless, he needed heat, and she needed to coax him into settling near the fire. Buddi still didn't like it, but stopped protesting after a while.

When was the last time she slept, anyways?

The night terrors had been relentless, pounding on Ursa's mind ever since they were forced out. The cries of the bears she lost, the memory of her last hours with Averi, the smell of heavy smoke mixed with the bitterness of pain and the chill of death…

Ursa barely slept. The memories and the what-ifs were too much for one to bear.

"I have to make this right, I _have_ to…"

Her mate couldn't have fallen in vain. Her people's suffering was too grave to yield here. Since when do Barbics quit? But it was so much more than lost pride, or a leader's stubborn will. It was the knowledge that her heart was torn into pieces. It is the knowledge that _she,_ Ursa Barbic, was lost. Lost, for all she had worth fighting for perished in the Woods. Her son was all she had left that she could truly consider to be home…but…

The thought of what might be going through her little one's mind was enough to make her bleeding heart freeze and compress painfully. Was he disappointed in her? Was he mad that she couldn't save their homeland? That she couldn't save his father?

Ursa swallowed the lump that formed in her throat, moving to sit by Buddi's side. The child barely stirred, too deeply lost in his dreams to truly acknowledge her presence. Running her fingers through her son's hair, she spoke in something that was barely even a whisper, "I'm so sorry, Buddi."

She had to make it up to him. She had to win back the home they lost. Ursa hoped with all that she was that she could do at least that. Because no matter what she does, she couldn't bring back the dead.


	2. The Fog Too Thick to See Through

DRUMS OF WAR

 **Chapter 1**

 _ **The Fog Too Thick to See Through**_

* * *

 _One and a half Months since the fall of the Woods_

 _Arrival at Ursalia_

They had arrived, and to Ursa's amazement, the City of Ursalia was not as abandoned as she originally thought. An old Gummi Knight by the name of Thornberry was still left in the city, charged with defending the City from enemies. Honestly, she should've expected as much. The Barbics had broken of entirely from their tamer cousins, the never-ending hostilities between humans and Gummies being part of the reason. Gummies were better left well alone and Ursa upon meeting Thornberry was confronted with the idea that her clan may have not been the only ones who thought that way.

The City had been empty for centuries upon the Barbics' arrival. The only parts of the City that were in usable condition where the main mess hall, the kitchens, the water reserve, the building the old knight had held up in, and one of the greenhouses in which Thornberry grew enough to live on. Of course, Ursa had expected the state of the City but she had carelessly tossed that particular factor to the wind, clutching on to the only chance of redeeming herself as a leader. Now they were in a City with no provisions to speak of. Her warriors were weary from the travel. And they still had to find a way to return home.

"It could be worse, Ursa," Gritty winced at the glare that she sent in his general direction, but continued speaking none the less, "We at least have a roof over our heads now…"

"Barely," the female Barbic replied, glancing around the mess hall where they were in council right now. The only person not in attendance was Buddi, the cub being too young to really have much of an input on their current situation, "Thornberry said he doesn't have enough provisions, and we burnt through what we had. The buildings are severely damaged from being exposed to the elements for at least a hundred years. We have no building materials to start damage repair and," she sunk into her chair, a headache forming at the back of her head, she rubbed her temples to try and ease it, "it would be at least worth a day's travel to get barely anything worth using."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Grubbi intoned, "you're doing the best you can at the moment."

"It's not enough," Ursa shook her head with a heavy sigh, "and don't you try and tell me otherwise. Currently hunting and savaging is the best we CAN do. I had a purpose for coming here as well, but that can wait until after we're settled."

Gritty blinked, that was new information to him. Ursa hardly spoke during the time they travelled here. He's pretty sure she hasn't been sleeping that well either. What was she planning? Not that he doubted her way of leadership, but she can't be in her right mind right now. Not after what had happened.

The meeting concluded, but before he or Grubbi could leave, Ursa called to them both, and they returned to the table where their leader remained seated, her eyes closed in deep thought and body slightly slumped over. When she spoke however, Ursa's tone remained sharp and tense. "I need to speak to you both in confidence tonight, after everyone's retired. I think…I need your support in this decision."

The male Barbics glanced at each other, noticing her lack of confidence. Both were equally worried now. Gritty nodded, and replied seriously, "Whatever you may need, Ursa, we're with you."

Ursa sighed. A world-weary sigh. The type of sound a true overworked leader would have made. And then she said, "You may go."

They obeyed, even though Gritty wanted to stay and reassure his closest childhood friend.

The Barbic leader just sat there in the stillness after her comrades' exit. She thought of nothing. She was too tired to. For a month, she had pushed forwards. For a month she shook the weariness from her shoulders. For a month, she kept her emotions quietly stashed away. And now, as she sat alone, Ursa felt the weight of her leadership, and it has become too heavy to bear from the grief she denied herself. She felt tired. She felt as though she'd aged a hundred years in a matter of minutes.

Stumbling to her feet, the leader made her way to her tent in the outer courtyard. She pulled the entrance shut behind her when she went in, cautioning her warriors that it should only be upon urgent matters that she's to be disturbed.

An entire month and a half. That is how long she had been strong. The past weeks had been hell itself to Ursa, and yet she bore it alone. She used to be more open with her clan members, but she also wasn't entirely used to being a leader by herself.

Ursa lay down, and if you'd asked her today, she'd still insisted that she didn't mean to fall into a sleep. But sleep she did.

* * *

Buddi wouldn't have been able to tell you how he knew, but he knew something serious was up with Ursa. He wouldn't tell anyone that he'd heard her crying in her sleep at night, almost every night since the fall of Barbic Woods. She'd deny that she'd been having them too. The nightmares. He knew though. And that was enough to make him worry in itself, but then she started avoiding sleep. As if she's _scared_ of the dreams. That startled the youngest Barbic.

And now she was late. She was supposed to meet him at the City gates for training fifteen minutes ago. Ursa was never late. Sometimes early, or right on time, but never late. Done with waiting, and worried for his mother, Buddi set off in the direction of where they set up shelter till they had repair supplies. He ran into Gritty on the way there. "Gritty, have you seen Ursa?"

The adult nodded, "Yeah, she went into her tent about twenty minutes ago. Why?"

"She told me to wait for her for training and didn't show up," the cub didn't care how obviously worried he is. "She's never late."

That alarmed Gritty to some extent, but before he said anything else the child had hurried off to where his mother was said to be.

Buddi entered to find Ursa passed out on her bedding, having pushed herself way too hard over the last month and a half. The cub expected her to rise the moment she heard him come in, but she didn't even move an inch, her deep and slow breathing testimony to how exhausted the leader really was.

For a moment he stood there, watching, contemplating waking her up, but ultimately decided against it. Ursa made sure that he knew not to over exert himself and she definitely DID do that. She need to rest so she doesn't hurt herself.

Having made up his mind Buddi lays down next to her listening to her slow breath, smelling her scent that made him painfully long for home. Home. They didn't have one anymore, didn't they? Ursa was the only thing he had left now. He wished she would talk to him about it.

The cub finally fell asleep, his restless thoughts leading him into an uneasy sleep.


	3. The Spark that Set the Flame

DRUMS OF WAR

 **Chapter 2**

 _The Spark that Set the Flame_

* * *

Ursa opened her eyes, breathing the scent of comfort and home. She was leaning against the common hut's wall. Her eyes were met with celebrations. Victory. A major one. If they were lucky, they wouldn't get any serious attack attempts for a good while. There was nothing the humans could gain from attacking now anyways. Nothing worth the risk anyways.

So why did it feel like something was amiss here?

Trying to shake the perpetually odd feeling off her shoulders, she looked for Averi, and was unable to find him amongst her clan members. She frowned as she couldn't see him anywhere. He's been pretty tense as of late. The attacks were probably the main cause of that. She couldn't spy Buddi either, but she expected that more than Averi's absence. That cub practically lived in the trees. Waste of her time to even try and drag him indoors.

Chuckling in amusement at that thought, Ursa called out to Gritty, "Hey, I'm gonna find where Averi went off to sulk. He shouldn't be alone so immediate after an attack," and without waiting for a reply, she left the festivities and attempted to track her husband. That wasn't such a difficult task.

A feeling in her grew as she walked. Even though she knew she was safe, and that the danger was over, she felt a strong desire to find Averi. To make sure he was safe.

Ursa found him at the outlook. It was higher up in the trees to give them a lengthy field of vision, although there were very few guards patrolling this particular evening. Her instincts told her that this should be corrected right away; her mind said that she was being ridiculous. Why was she being so paranoid all of a sudden? And why the fear? For that's what she realized her emotions were. Fear. Fear of losing him.

Trying to shake these thoughts off, she spoke in a softer voice that few heard often. "Averi?"

Averi turned and gave a half-hearted smile, one she probably saw through from a mile away, "Hey, Ursa. Everything okay inside?"

"They would be if our leader was in there with us instead of sulking," Ursa replied as she stood next to him. "Averi, you'll do no good if you worry yourself sick. All it'll make everyone else worry. Buddi especially. You know what he's like."

"I know," Averi sighed, "Shoulda known you'd come up here to lecture me."

"I am not -"

"Yes, you are. You are right too," Averi turned back to gaze at the scenery, "I just feel like something's wrong."

Chills ran up Ursa's spine, shouting 'danger!' at her. She found herself nearly ready to agree with that statement, but instead she said, "The danger's over for now. We can worry about it later."

Averi nodded and followed her down to join the others, accepting the fact that they had nothing to worry about.

* * *

Ursa woke with a start from her dream….no…not a dream. A memory. She remembered standing there with Averi a few months back, when he was worrying instead of celebrating. She dismissed his fears and pulled to the party, choosing to turn a blind eye to a very real threat. And now home's gone.

And Averi was dead.

" _The danger's over for now. We can worry about it later."_ Why did she say that? He was right. Deep down she'd always know he was. Ursa would regret those words for the rest of her life. She would regret growing so complacent that she lost her home. She would regret not being there for him at the moment he needed her most. That her clan needed her most.

Movement at her left side brought her back to reality, and she mentally kicked herself when she found Buddi asleep next to her. She was supposed to meet him at the gates a while back; she was certain, so he probably looked for her and fell asleep upon finding her in her moment of weakness. Ursa reached over and shook him awake.

Buddi opened his eyes and sat upon seeing her awake, "Hey, Ursa."

"Had a nice nap?" Ursa asked, smiling slightly as he attempted to cover up a yawn. She was a mother after all – she was allowed to think her cub was cute.

"Uhuh, and you?"

Ursa stiffed as the memory lingered fresh in her mind, "Yeah."

Buddi noticed her tension, "You wanna talk about it?"

"I'm fine, Buddi," Ursa said as she stood, her tone making it clear it was not a subject open for discussion. "And you still have to get through the day's training."

Buddi groaned but followed her out. How he wished she would just talk to him about it….


End file.
